The chill of the winter night was almost unbearable but fortunately for them, they were ninja's. Soaring through the trees like leaves in the wind, the ninja's of Konohagakure surrounded a sole man whom they would defend with their life.

"Hokage sama, I really think we should rest at an Inn for the night," the Hokage's personal anbu guard and eternal rival said from under his mask.

"But we only have three day's journey left to the five kage summit and I haven't been stuck in the office so long eating ramen that I've become unfit!" Naruto complained to the masked man to his right.

"I agree Naruto, you're at greater risk of being attacked at night and we're suppose to protect you at all cost and besides we could all use the rest, we have been traveling all the way from the Crescent Moon Kingdom where we visited King Hikaru." Kakashi tried to reason with the pouting Naruto.

As a treat Naruto had traveled far to the Crescent Moon Kingdom to enjoy the company of a childhood friend whom he had made many promises to many years ago.

"Fine, I'm just so excited about the implementation of the new joint shinobi teaching curriculum!" Naruto exclaimed, cerulean eyes glowing with excitement.

Sighing, Kakashi muttered, "I'm getting too old for this, I need to retire and spend my days as quiet and peaceful as the fifth's."

A few moments later the anbu escort team had finally scouted the area and the vacant Inn in which they were to spend the night. Enjoying the warmth coming from the fireplace near to the reception desk Naruto removed his Hokage's hat and proceeded towards the aged Inn keeper with his famous Uzumaki smile.

"Hey granny, can I have two rooms Please!"

The Inn keeper who was all too familiar with the yellow haired Hokage smiled and proceeded to take him to his usual room with another room to the left of it for the sole female anbu of the group.

Walking down the hallway to his room Naruto took a moment to remember the last time he was here.

Flashback

"When will you me join me willingly?" Naruto asked the one who warmed his bed at night on extended trips like these.

"Will you shut up, you do this every time we sleep together." The reply came with a tone of accusation and anger.

"It's only fair that I know, because you insist on keeping us a secret!" Naruto practically screamed.

"You're the fucking Hokage, how do you think everyone would feel if they knew you were having relations with me!" Leaping from the futon, his lover rushed to the bathroom and quickly got dressed.

"Look, I'm sorry I got mad ok, I just want to be with you without having to sneak around." Naruto said softly, cerulean eyes pleaded for understanding.

No response.

"So you're just gonna leave again, without even trying to resolve this," sitting up, the sheet fell from his chest to his waist, and their eyes met and Naruto's pleading eyes were greeted by shielded, detached onyx ones.

And without a word, the one who held Naruto's heart left without a single glance back, into the darkness, the only place they knew.

End flashback

Smiling, Naruto entered the room and asked to have a moment alone with his personal anbu guard and his right hand man, Sasuke.

"You remember right Sasuke?"

Removing his mask Sasuke replied, "If it's related to that ridiculous statement you made when I left the last time we were here then no."

"What! Then how comes you remembered that I even said anything!" He took a step towards Sasuke, with an accusing finger pointed at him.

"Shut up usuratonkachi you're being too loud they'll hear you!"

Smiling now, Naruto replied, "Well considering how much I pay them I'd be surprised if they didn't already know more about our situation than I did."

Blushing, Sasuke removed his vest and proceeded to sit on a chair in the far corner of the room. Sitting in the half light of the moon, the raven stared at his knucklehead Hokage and wondered how he ended up in this situation in the first place.

"You're the Hokage now Naruto, there are certain things expected of you and having relations with a man isn't one of them, especially a man who is a former missing nin," Sasuke said with a pained expression.

Slowly, Naruto walked over to where Sasuke was seated. Stopping directly in front of him he cupped his face in his hands and tilted his head up so he could look him square in the eyes. Those beautiful eyes which he enjoyed getting lost in and enjoyed even more finding himself in those onyx orbs on special occasions which were only privy to them both, trying so hard to see the soul he has buried so deep behind blank facial expressions and harsh words. Those rear flashes of passion and deep unguarded emotion as our bodies connect in ecstasy. He loved those eyes but he hated how they looked at themselves, always hating what they did, always criticizing their self and always thinking about 'what's best for him.' Those beautiful unsure eyes. If only they could see themselves the way I saw them.

Sigh.

"Teme, I've been telling you since the moment we started this, I love you and only you and I don't care what anyone else says or thinks!" Bringing his body closer to Sasuke's he whispered, "And I want to be able to love you anytime and anywhere I wish and as many times as I want."

Leaning in Naruto touched his lips to Sasuke's. Feeling the familiar warmth of his soft sensual lips, Naruto moaned into Sasuke's now open mouth. Dipping his tongue inside to explore more, because when Naruto was with Sasuke he always wanted more. Sliding his tongue along Sasuke's bottom lip then back into his mouth, both tongues fighting for dominance, his eyes involuntarily close and his body awakened with carnal lust and desire.

He traced his fingers along his neck, up his cheeks, caressing the milky flesh with his thumbs, never breaking their passionate kiss. He snaked his hands further up and laced his fingers in Sasuke's dark mane coaxing him up from the chair, as he sits down and pulls Sasuke onto him.

"We really shouldn't do-", was all Sasuke could say before Naruto claimed his swollen lips again in a vicious hungry battle of the tongues.

Sasuke's now straddling position allowed for direct contact of their sex. This erotic position made Naruto all too aware of the radiating heat coming from Sasuke's member. Smirking he continued to nip and suck at Sasuke's lips, he knew exactly what to do to make the bastard bend to his will, in more ways than one, and that's just what he intended to do right here right now with his guards just outside the door.

Just as he had predicted a deep moan escaped Sasuke's throat and overcome with lust he began to slowly grind his now aching erection into Naruto's. Hands laced in his yellow locks, Sasuke traced kisses along his neck, leaving angry red marks in its wake, down his shoulder and right back up, every journey more sensual than the last. He doesn't know why he even attempts to control himself around Naruto when he becomes so driven by his desires. He knows that he isn't very good at denying the dobe and he was sure the dobe knew that too. Sighing mentally, Sasuke put aside those trivial thoughts and the fact that the rest of their team was standing just outside the door, and focused on the delicious tanned god before him, absorbing every touch, sound and every sight as he possibly could because he didn't know when they would be able to be together like this again since the last time was over four months ago.

"Sasu-" Naruto began to moan before the man in question covered his mouth with his own and began grinding harder and faster onto his aching arousal. Moaning in surprise at the new pace Naruto firmly placed his hands on Sasuke's buttocks and matched his mind fogging strides in an attempt to increase the friction between their aching desires.

Both men were so absorbed in this heated act of desire that they almost missed the slight knocking on the door.

Shocked out of his erotic daze, Sasuke jumped away from Naruto and quickly slipped on his vest and mask as he scolded at how easily he lost it again, while Naruto was still seated as calmly as one could be with a now painful erection. Sasuke then walked over to the door and opened it to see Kakashi standing before him.

"We have to leave, we just receive word that there is a group of rogue ninja's heading this way in hopes of stopping Naruto from reaching the Five Kage Summit," he informed Sasuke hurriedly.

"Fine, what's the course of action there after?" he questioned.

"You and I will escort Naruto out of here on a different route while the other two stay here and deal with the group of rogue ninja's."

Nodding, Sasuke turned around to inform Naruto of the news he had just received only to find the man fully dressed with an expression Sasuke couldn't quite read nor did he have any desire at the moment to try and figure it out because he knew it wasn't a good one.

"Let's Go," Naruto stated and strode from the room, an aura of authority surrounding the once belittled man.

~~ ^o^ ~~

It didn't take them very long to leave and change their change course. The three men didn't waste much time conversing, each man battling with his own thoughts yet still alert and aware of their current situation. With the sun ablaze in the frosty sky they were still two days away from the five Kage Summit.

Kakashi, who was travelling behind his former student as Sasuke was in front with Naruto in between them, took this time to reflect on how much things have changed, how much Naruto has changed.

He wasn't that brat Kakashi had met on their first day as group seven. He exceeded all their expectations and became the best Hokage, just as he had promised. After the Forth Great Ninja War he took charge and restored the village to its former glory, better even. Everyone trusts, loves and respects him now, but that's just Naruto for you, you just can't help but believing in him. It's because of him Sasuke wasn't put to death when he returned to the village after the war. Lady Tsunade wanted to pummel him into oblivion but Naruto begged her to allow him to pay for Sasuke's mistakes. Of course Tusnade wasn't going to kill the next Hokage so she did the next best thing, made the Uchiha's life a living hell.

Sasuke was in chakra chains for almost a year while he performed mostly D ranked missions and if he was lucky an occasional C ranked missions. Kakashi had no idea how Sasuke coped with this constant attack to the Uchiha pride but he guessed it was because he always had Naruto by his side, even when he didn't want him there.

Kakashi smiled at the thought that Naruto was always looking out for him, even when everyone else including himself, had given up on Sasuke, Naruto never did. Sasuke had moved in with Naruto when he came back to the village because Tsunade refused to let the Raven stay alone at the Uchiha compound for fear of memories causing him to go against the village again. It was after about the first year that Kakashi had realized that there was more going on between them than just a friendship. Kakashi had nothing against their homosexual relationship; he himself had enjoyed the beds of both men and women, the only one who seemed to have a problem with it was Sasuke.

Sigh, when will you learn Sasuke, Naruto isn't going anywhere without you.

The man in question took the lead within their three man cell, his sharingan fired up and on the alert looking for any enemies was also lost in his own thoughts about the knucklehead ninja.

He never thought he would have fallen for his best friend, the one person who in his own way always cared about him even when they fought and always stuck by him even after he had betrayed him, attempted to kill him three times and tried to destroy his home and all the people he loved along with it. Come on, even he knew that this was all unforgivable but leave it to Naruto to forgive him and accept him, flaws and all.

God, why did he have to be so easy to love!

Smiling slightly Sasuke recalled how Naruto had stupidly begged Tsunade to punish him instead, promised that he would take full blame for his wrong doings. She was so mad she almost killed them both, she chased them for hours trying to beat some sense into Naruto and although she did land him in the hospital for a few days she never even put a dent in his resolve of protecting him. That idiot, he even insisted that she made him live with him instead of throwing him in prison, which she tried to beat him out of again because there was no way in hell she was going to put the sharingan and the kyuubi together after they just ended a war that was loosely about the same thing, but again his resolve never faltered.

Sighing, he remembered how Naruto would always try to finish his missions early just so he could come home and spend time with him, mostly because he didn't want Sasuke to be alone. Naruto knew Sasuke hated being treated the way he was, the chakra chains, no less than three anbu watching him at a time, D ranked missions, absolutely no chance of leaving the village and especially the way everyone looked at him with hate and disgust.

Naruto was always there for him even though Sasuke was never going to admit it, he was glad he had Naruto in his life, especially when he felt like he couldn't go on anymore. Sasuke fondly remembered the moment he knew he had fallen head over heels for his dimwitted best friend and knew he could never live without him.

It had been raining all week and Naruto had been on a six month long mission as an anbu, five years after the forth great ninja war. Sasuke remembered how painful it was for him to be separated from the dobe for so long because from the moment he had returned to the village Naruto had ensured they spent every spare second together. He always made sure Sasuke was never alone, he worked relentlessly to recreate his broken bonds with his former friends over the years and it had to some extent become like he had never left the village. He would go out drinking with the guys whenever Naruto was on extended missions just to pass the time and to keep him from thinking about how lonely he really was.

That week however was completely different as he sat with his friends at Choji's favorite BBQ restaurant making inappropriate jokes, drinking and having a great time. All Sasuke could think about was that he was going to be alone tonight of all nights. He was good at putting on a show for his peers, laughing and sharing stories about work, he never let his true feelings out for anyone to see, well except for Naruto.

Naruto.

'Why did you have to be gone tonight of all nights', he had thought to himself all that day.

After a few more rounds of sake and helping a drunken Lee home, Sasuke had headed to his shared apartment alone. As he walked towards the closet where he had stored his supplies for that night he felt the familiar aching of his heart that always came on that day. Gathering his stuff he quickly made his way towards an old lake where both fond and heart wrenching memories lied.

Sasuke was a little lost standing by the lake all by himself because he had always had Naruto with him when he came, hell he was the one who suggested it in the first place. Smiling at how pathetically depended he had become on Naruto, Sasuke began to light the floating lanterns and placed them one by one to drift into the cool oasis. The glow from them beautifully radiating across the silky surface, drifting as carefree as the wind. Sasuke wished he could be so calm and carefree, he wished that life wasn't so unfair to him, that it hadn't taken the most important things away from him and left him fearful of losing the things he loved now. As he unconsciously began to walk towards the water, eyes fixed on the faint light gently swaying in the center of the lake, nothing on his mind but how beautiful it would be just to go where it was deep into the gentle abyss, someone gently placed a hand on him, pulling him back to conscious thought.

"What do you think you're doing here without me you jerk?"

Eyes wide Sasuke stared into gentle cerulean orbs, willing himself to say something.

"W-what are y-you doing here?" Sasuke couldn't even recognize his own voice at that moment.

"Baka, I told you that I would be back in time for the lighting ceremony for the anniversary of Itachi's death, why on earth would you think I would just up and let you do this on your own?" Naruto had asked. No pity in his eyes just comfort and understanding.

Stunned as to how he had made it back in time, Sasuke gave Naruto a quick once over to see that the man was completely beaten up, filthy and looked completely exhausted. The dobe had clearly ended his mission early just to be with him at that difficult time because even though it had been five years since his beloved brother had died, the pain of losing him had never left Sasuke and he doubted it would ever fully disappear. However, it was severely less with Naruto by his side and because he knew Naruto would always be Naruto he felt completely safe and the idea of never being able to live without him became something he was at that moment ready to finally admit. Looking into Naruto's eyes, at how determined and believing they were in him at that moment he said the one thing he could to make this situation immensely lighter;

"You stink."

"What? You big jerkface! I travelled for three days without food, water or rest to make it back here on time and a week before my mission was supposed to officially end might I add, just to make sure your sorry ass was not alone today!" There was the stupid and loud mouthed dobe that he couldn't live without and loved immensely. Chuckling he fitted his hand into Naruto's and turned to gaze at the beautiful lanterns, knowing that everything wasn't as bad as he had thought it would have been.

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! PLEASE YOU GUYS I WON'T KNOW IF IT'S ANY GOOD IF YOU JUST FOLLOW OR FAVOURITE IT...SO REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW YOUR HONEST OPINIONS! 3 Stay awesome :D